While You Were Gone
by Scribbles97
Summary: When their father disappeared, procedures were put in place to prevent the same thing from happening again. Nobody knew what they might do is another Tracy disappeared. But safety systems are not always fool proof, and all is not always as it seems.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Scott did a final check of his instruments and flicked on his comms, "This is Tracy Two to Thunderbird Five, everything is normal, I'll call when I've landed."

John floated over to the comms unit, hand swiping aside the hurricane he was monitoring over the Atlantic to check the flight path of his brothers jet.

"FAB Tracy Two, have a safe flight. I'll continue to monitor your progress."

He knew what Scott's sigh was implying, constant monitoring of his flight wasn't needed but it gave John that piece of mind. It reassured John that they weren't going to just disappear as Tracy One had done, he wouldn't let them.

Scott shook his head and looked to John's hologram, "You were up all night monitoring this hurricane, get some sleep. I promise I'll check in when I land."

John folded his arms stubbornly, "I can manage another hour, then EOS will take over."

Scott sighed and looked back out of his front window, "I'm not going to win, am I?"

"I find the chances of you getting your brother to sleep are exactly three hundred and sixty seven to one." A chirpier voice cut in, making Scott smile, "I believe John is the most stubborn of you Tracy's."

Scott and John shared a knowing look, they were all equally as stubborn when it came to it. Though, none of them were as stubborn as their father.

"You- ot-ways-ight- E-S."

John frowned and turned to the control panel, "We lost you there Scott, say again?"

He groaned as the hologram of his older brother blinked and fizzled out, "EOS, can you try and-"

"I'm already working on it John," She responded, trying to get into Tracy Two's systems before John had even finished. He smiled briefly before turning to work on finding out what had happened to his brothers jet. It was probable just interference with the comms, nothing serious, easily fixed.

Though John felt much less confident when he found a wall of code trying to intercept the jet's systems. He ground his teeth as he worked to block it, trying to counteract its actions with his own work, "Oh no you don't."

"John," EOS interrupted him, "I have found a hole in the coding, would it be of use if I slipped into Tracy Two's systems?"

He paused in what he was doing, looking to EOS' camera with a frown. She was an intelligent being, surely she realised the risk that carried?

"EOS, you-"

Her lights flashed orange as she responded, "I am aware of the risk John, but if there is a chance of helping your brother I would like to take it."

John looked back to the scrolling code that was trying to take over his brothers systems, "Thank you EOS."

He started working again, "You'll have to be quick, I'm trying my best but this code is advanced, I can't hold it off for long."

But the AI was already gone, feeding herself into the lines of the virus that had just about overridden everything on Tracy Two. John looked to the tracker, praying it would stay blinking for just a little longer so he could get a secure lock.

The moment the thought entered his head, the little blue light blinked off and didn't come back on.

Shaking his head in denial, John flung his fist as the control panel, "No!" They couldn't be gone, not again. He'd done everything he could to stop it from happening again, but he had still somehow lost them. They were just gone.

Virgil was just finishing his breakfast as the call came through, he took the last slice of toast to the lounge with him as he joined his two younger brothers, "What's the problem John?"

"Is it a rescue?" Alan grinned, knowing that with their eldest brother away for a meeting, he was likely to be allowed to tag along.

Virgil just shook his head at his youngest brother, having already picked up on John's unease. The blue tinted hologram seemed whiter than normal, and John was preoccupied by something off of the screen.

"John?"

The second brothers attention snapped to the holocall as he took a jagged breath in, "Tracy Two has vanished." He paused and looked away from the call again as Virgil shifted, turning slightly towards his chute, "A virus of some description was trying to take control, I- I tried to hold it off, but it just-"

"Send the last known location to Thunderbird Two," Virgil cut him off, "We'll find him."

John shook his head in the slightest, catching Virgil's eye, "You can go and look, but I wouldn't be hopeful."

Virgil looked to Alan and Gordon as he headed to his chute, "We have to try."

Alan turned towards the bedrooms, "I'll tell the others, Kayo might be able to find something using Thunderbird S,"

John opened his mouth to argue, it was a case of deja vu and he knew that it would end the same way. This was Scott though. Their biggest, bravest, brother that they couldn't help but look up to. Alan looked up to Scott more than anyone, he worshiped the ground Scott walked on.

Not even John could dash his hopes so soon, even if the situation felt hopeless.

"FAB." John sighed as he turned back to his systems, "I'll keep running scans."

Kayo looked out to the vast expanse of ocean, three degrees south of her location was Scott's last known position. He wasn't there now.

With a heavyhearted sigh she opened a private channel to John, "How can he just be gone?"

If he was startled by her appearance by hologram, John didn't show it as she circled the site again, this time heading off in the direction Scott's flightpath should have taken him. She set her instruments to follow the path so she could focus everything on either looking, or talking to John, "Do you think it was _him_?"

John paused and took a moment to really look at Kayo, "This wasn't your fault Kay. If it was him, it has nothing to do with you."

He watched her as she avoided his gaze, looking past his hologram to the ocean, "What if he tells him?"

"We worry about that when it happens." John murmured to her, "You don't need to worry."

Kayo sighed and finally looked back to him, "Okay. Are you coming home tonight?"

He didn't hesitate at her question, he didn't feel like he really had an option. He felt he owed his family an explanation in person.

This time it was Kayo's turn to reassure, "John, you did everything you could. We put measures in place to try and prevent it from happening again,"

"Yet it still happened!" John snapped, "It shouldn't have happened again if-"

She gave him a look that would silence the loudest of the brothers, "You did everything you could, I'm sure EOS will back you up on that."

His shoulders dropped, and Kayo knew there was something more going on, "John?"

He seemed to shrink on the hologram, "I don't know where EOS is. She offered to get into the coding that was taking over the jet. Right now she's as lost as Scott."

Without saying any more, Kayo turned Thunderbird S, "Meet me at home." She ordered him before cutting the call. She couldn't let them crumble, not like they had last time. They were going to make a plan and carry it out. Kayo wouldn't let two members of the family go missing without a trace, and god help whoever it was that had done this.

Scott frowned as his brother's hologram blinked out, none of his other instruments showed any kind of malfunction. Once he landed he made a mental note to check the comms array, maybe something had hit it in the hangar. He flew in silence for a few minutes, hoping that John wouldn't be too distressed by his radio silence. At least his flight tracker was still active, so John would know where Scott was up to.

He smiled to himself as the comms flashed, maybe it had been a problem at the other end.

"Tracy Two here," He answered the incoming call, "Th-"

"Hello Scott," The once eerie voice greeted him, "Was there a problem with your comms?"

Scott smiled to the flashing circle of lights that had appeared on the hologram, "I'm not sure EOS, I'll have a look over it once I've landed."

"I'm afraid that will not be possible." EOS told him.

She didn't make any sense to Scott, "Of course it will be, my meeting isn't until this afternoon. I'll have plenty of time to check over-"

"I can't let you do that Scott," EOS interrupted, "I am sorry."

Scott frowned and swallowed, more than a little unnerved by the AI, "What do you mean EOS?"

"I am sorry, Scott Tracy." She repeated as a hissing mist filled the cockpit.

Scott's eyes widened in panic as he hit the comms channel in a last ditch attempt, "Tracy Two to Tracy island mayd-"

EOS blocked the comms to the outside world as the pilot's eyes slipped shut and she repeated once more, "I am sorry Scott."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

John sighed as Kayo hugged him tightly, on the gantry between the space elevator and the lounge. He kissed her hair, taking as much comfort from her as she was giving to him.

"We're going to work all of this out," She told him as she pulled back, "The others will understand that you did what you could."

"I should have done more," John insisted as they started towards the lounge, "There must've been something else I could do."

"John." She snapped, pulling him to a stop, refusing to let him blame himself all over again, "You did what you could. We all know that. It's not your fault."

His shoulders sunk as his hand caught a strand of her hair floating in the draft from the air filters, he tucked it back behind her ear before he spoke, "If something happens to Scott-"

"It won't," She persisted, taking his hand, "He was in the air force for long enough, he'll look after himself until we can find him."

John managed a slight smile to her and a nod, "If you say so."

She leant up and kissed his cheek, "I do." She tugged his hand gently, "Now come on, the others will be waiting for us."

Grandma shook her head as Brains began to pace, "So wherever Scott's jet is, EOS is too?"

John nodded in confirmation, "Assuming that she made the jump in time."

Gordon frowned and sat forward a little, "And what if she didn't?"

He watched carefully as John swallowed his mouthful of coffee and carefully set his mug on the table, all too aware that he was no longer in space, "EOS is gone, for good."

Gordon turned as Alan perked up, "Is there not some way to see if she made the jump? Like when you upload a file to somewhere there's always that annoying little bar that drags across."

John looked from his youngest brother to Brains and back again, "I don't- can we?"

Brains paused his pacing to think, "If we can look into Thunderbird Five's programming, could we find the point at which EOS left the programming?"

John was nodding slowly as he thought it through, "Yes, her coding will either be there in part, or not at all. Then we will at least know if…" He trailed off and Brains knew that the alternate outcome was not one that bared thinking about. The whole family had grown fond of the AI's antics, even if she had joined them with less than favourable intentions. EOS had quickly moulded into another Tracy, giving John a little more company up on 'Five than he was used to. If she was gone, lost somewhere between one circuitry and the other, it would be as bad as losing one of the family.

"Well why are we sat around thinking about it?" Grandma asked them, "Let's go and look at the programming!"

John nodded and stood up, as Brains turned towards his lab, "We c-can work using my computers, they should still be a-able to get into Thunderbird Five's systems."

Grandma smiled briefly as they went and looked to Kayo, she was about to ask something when Alan started, "Even if we do find EOS, what good is that to us?"

Kayo was quick to answer, "If we find EOS got through to Scott's jet then I would assume she would then attempt to get in touch with us. You'd have to ask John though."

Virgil moved to get up, "I'm going to go back out,"

"No you will not." Grandma stopped him, "The lot of you will get some rest until John and Brains find out what happened to EOS. I will keep an eye out for any major rescues."

"But-" Gordon started, only to get cut off with a warning look from Grandma, "No Gordon, you're needed more for rescues than for your brother."

"How can you say that?" Alan frowned as he stood up, "Scott's our brother! How can we focus on saving strangers when we don't know where he is?"

"Lay off Alan," Virgil murmured, knowing exactly what their grandmother was implying, "Scott wouldn't want us looking for him. We can't go through all that again and forget our duty like we did for Dad."

"It's _Scott_ though." Alan pleaded, "We spent a day looking for him, just one day! We have to look more, expand the search area and-"

"He's probably gone Alan!" Virgil snapped, finally giving into the gut feeling he'd had all day, "The circumstances were too similar for it not to be the same outcome as with Dad." He got up and turned toward his bedroom, "We're going to put on the same background search that we've got going for Dad. Scott knows what they are, and he'll know how to get in touch if he is out there."

"But-"

Gordon slung his arm around Alan's shoulders as Grandma went to follow Virgil. He tried to give his only younger brother a convincing smile as he squeezed his shoulders, "Scott's smart Allie, I wouldn't worry. He'll be back in no time."

Alan sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve, "But Scott can't be gone, he just can't."

Gordon let out a shakey breath and hugged his brother tightly, "He'll come back Allie." But even he wasn't sure of who he was convincing.

"Thank you EOS."

The AI flashed her lights green in hope that her assistance was no longer needed, "May I return to Thunderbird Five now, sir?"

He looked up to her and raised an eyebrow, "On one condition."

Turning to look at the man slumped in the chair in the corner of the room she hesitated, unsure if the betrayal was worth it all. She hadn't wanted to betray the brothers, but she had been told that it was for the best.

"What is the condition, sir?"

He waited for her to look back to him before explaining, "You cannot tell them what you did EOS, otherwise it will have all been for nothing."

She looked down to the floor her camera flashing blue for sorrow, "I am afraid then sir, that I may have to stay here."

He frowned at her in confusion, "Why is that?"

Again she hesitated as she looked back to him, "John is my friend, I cannot lie to my friend."

He nodded in some sort of approval, "Very well EOS, you may stay for now. You must not make yourself known though, do you understand?"

Her camera nodded to him, "Yes sir."

His eyes were ice cold as he looked to her, "There are a lot of people in this world that would like to _use_ you EOS. But if you do as I say, you will be safe. I can promise you that."

"Thank you Sir," She hesitated as she began to withdraw from the room, "Sir?"

"Yes EOS?"

"Once this is all over, will I be able to go back to Thunderbird Five?"

He hesitated as he watched her, "We shall see EOS, we shall see."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Scott groaned and coughed, something tickling the back of his throat as he shifted upright in the armchair. His head felt fuzzy, like everything in there had been replaced with cotton wool. He glanced around the room with a frown, not quite sure how he had got there.

There was a lonely figure leant up against the far wall, watching him silently with her arms folded, "Catch."

His time in the air force had sharpened his reactions, so it was no problem when the bottle of water arched across the small room and landed with a gentle thud in his hands, "Aunt Val?" He frowned as he took a drink, "What-"

"I'm sorry we had to bring you in like that." She told him, taking a few steps forward into the dim lighting of the room, "It's a complicated matter though."

"I don't understand," Scott frowned, "First, where is _here_?"

His godmother turned to the window looking out to a spotless, white, corridor, "An _extremely_ private GDF hospital. Reserved specifically for our most undercover of agents, or anyone else that is deemed important enough."

Scott sucked in a breath as he stood, "So why am I here? I'm not in need of hospital treatment."

Casey nodded in admission, "That's true. But you are needed here."

She turned toward the door and looked back to her god son, "Follow me."

Scott swallowed but followed her wordlessly, his shoes squeaking on the lino flooring of the corridor that was simply too white to be natural. The place was like a maze, so many corridors leading to another. He briefly wondered how his Aunt knew her way around so well, surely she hadn't spent so much time in that hospital that she knew her way around perfectly?

"Who is here then?" He asked as they walked, the whole place just too quiet for his liking, "And what about my meeting?"

She paused and glanced back to him with a soft smirk, "There was no meeting Scott, it was all a set up."

Scott's step faltered, "But-" He caught himself, not even his Aunt knew about the AI that had attacked Thunderbird Five and his brother. They hadn't risked telling anyone outside of the Island for fear of people wanting to shut her down.

"But what Scott?" Casey asked as they paused outside a room, "If it's about EOS you don't need to worry, she was simply acting under our instructions."

Scott opened his mouth to reply but hesitated, " _Our_?"

Casey nodded to the door, "Go and see for yourself."

Still hesitant, Scott nudged the door open and stepped into the room.

The first thing his eyes centred on was the hospital bed, he couldn't really miss it with the amount of space in the room it took up. More specifically, his eyes went straight to the man in the bed, dozing on his side but always recognizable to the eldest Tracy.

"What the-" He spun on his Aunt, "He's here? No, scratch that," He raised his voice, "He's alive!?"

Val Casey wasn't fazed by her oldest god son's outburst. She had long since gotten used to the Tracy glare and was always more than able to hold her own against them. Scott looked back over his shoulder as the man in the bed stirred and groaned, sitting up to take in the scene. He sighed in sympathy as Scott watched him in shock, "Son."

Scott shook his head in disbelief and pushed past his Aunt, "I need to get out of here."

Val let Scott go, knowing it was for the best in the long run. She looked to her oldest and closest friend with a sigh and shook her head, "I told you it wouldn't-"

Jeff sunk back into the mattress and nodded, "Alright Val, I know what you said."

"I do not understand." A small camera woke from the corner of the room where she had been secretly watching, "Scott seemed angry."

Jeff shook his head as he looked to the door as it swung shut, "Not now EOS."

"But he should be happy, they have only spoken of missing you." EOS persisted, "I don't understand. Why are humans so complicated?"

This made Jeff smile, even if only slightly. He looked to the little camera and nodded, "We just are EOS. Why don't you go and keep an eye on him for us? Perhaps you should keep your distance though."

"FAB, sir." EOS replied, her lights flashing green, "I shall make sure Scott doesn't do anything bad."

"Do you still think you can talk him around?" Val asked as she perched on the end of the bed.

Jeff slowly pulled his eyes from the door, his shoulders sinking as he shook his head, "I don't know what else we can do if I don't."

He lay back and closed his eyes, another headache coming on from the line of stitches in the back of his head. They needed to put a stop to these attacks on the organisation, that had been the whole reason Jeff had left in the first place, to hunt down the Hood and protect his sons from the more vicious of the attacks aimed at them.

"Give him some time to calm down," Casey offered, "Then talk to him. Scott's a reasonable lad, he'll see sense in time."

Jeff glanced to her and sighed, "I'll go and find him in a bit."

He'd known it wouldn't be as simple as a hello, he had a lot of explaining to do. He could only hope that his eldest son would listen and see what it was his father had been trying to do.

"Can you manage?" Casey asked him quietly, already expecting Jeff's response.

He sat up in the bed and gave her a hard look, "I don't need wrapping in cotton wool Val."

She shook her head as she got up, "I never implied you did Jeff. Just remember that it's not a bad thing to need some help."

He huffed and grumbled in response, settling back in the bed and pulling the sheets over him with a sigh. In his head he knew that it was alright to ask for help, that was why he had gone to Val in the first place. Things had taken such a turn though, he had never expected to be away so long. None of this had been what he wanted, it was simply what was necessary to keep the people he loved safe.

EOS watched from the security camera hidden inside a tree trunk, as the eldest Tracy flung the smooth stone in his hand across the pond he was stood at. She zoomed in as the stone jumped across the surface of the water three times before it sunk.

"Fascinating." She murmured to herself, still focused on the ripples where the stone had sunk and unaware that Scott had caught her.

"EOS," He sighed, giving her a wary look, "What are you doing here?"

She refocused her camera on Scott and explained, "Keeping an eye on you."

Scott sighed and picked up another stone, "What's going on here? Why did you take over Tracy Two?"

"These questions would be better answered by your father." She told him, aware that it was not her place to give away Jeff Tracy's plans, "Though it was not my intention to harm you."

Scott paused, his arm pulled back with the stone in his hand, "Does John know?"

"The rest of your family is unaware of our location and of your father's plans."

Scott flicked his arm forward, sending the stone along the waters surface again, "What plans?"

"You would have to ask your father," She told him, still watching the stone.

"What is your purpose of throwing these stones?"

Scott looked from her to the pond and back again, "It's called skimming, we used to have competitions to see how many times the pebble would skim."

"That seems unfair." EOS commented, "Against your brothers you have the advantage of longer arms, hence you are able to throw the stone better."

Scott scoffed and shook his head, "That's the thing about life, EOS. Someone else always has an advantage."

"Perhaps you should speak to your father about the advantages of him leaving Tracy Island." EOS suggested, remembering overhearing a conversation between Jeff and Colonel Casey.

Scott frowned at her, "What do you mean?"

The little camera had already vanished though, knowing she had already said too much in that little hospital garden.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Scott looked down the pathway that lead to one of the hospital entrances as a door swung open. He let out a long breath as a man stepped out into the evening sun, he couldn't put off the conversation any longer yet he still wasn't quite sure where to start. His thoughts were still a mess and he didn't know what to make of the situation.

What Scott did realise was that things weren't normal. As he walked closer, Scott realised that his father wasn't just using a crutch, each step was pronounced with a slight limp. Without thinking, Scott sat straighter, ready to jump up if his aid was needed.

Jeff paused when he reached the bench, "May I?"

Scott nodded, glancing briefly at the empty space next to him, "Of course."

"I wanted to apologise," Jeff started as he eased down next to his firstborn, still stiff and aching after the accident, "There's a million excuses I could give you for my leaving, none of them feel quite justified now."

Scott sighed and looked down to the floor, trying to work out what to say. He hadn't forgiven his father, not yet, not so easily, and there was still the case of why he had been dragged out of the air in such a way.

"I want the full story," He warned, "Maybe not right here and now, but eventually."

His father nodded, he'd expected as much. All his boys would want to know exactly what warranted his abrupt disappearance. Scott would need to know if this new plan was going to work.

"It was because of the Hood," Jeff started hesitantly, "I'd been receiving warnings from him that his attacks were going to get worse in revenge for what we apparently did to him."

Scott frowned in thought, "What did we do?"

Jeff shrugged, "His argument is that we took his family away from him,"

"What?" Scott shook his head, "I didn't think the Hood had any family, let alone anything to do with us!"

Jeff stayed silent, knowing better than to give everything away at once. Instead he waited for Scott to relax again before murmuring softly, "I've missed you all so much."

Scott played with the cuff of his shirt, "Why didn't you give us a clue then? We didn't know if you were dead or if we should have kept looking."

Jeff stayed quiet as Scott let out a long breath and leant forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he ran his hands through his hair, "The others kept looking for answers that I didn't have, and I always wondered if there was more I should have done."

Jeff rested a hand on his son's shoulder, "I know that you all did all you could son, I honestly can't tell you how proud I am of you all."

Scott looked back to him, his eyes pleading now, "Then come home, come back and explain to all of us. Come and tell them."

Jeff nodded to his son as he stood, "I will, but there something else that needs doing first. That's why we needed you."

Scott frowned and looked up to his father, "What do you mean?"

Jeff sighed and turned back the way he had come, "Your Aunt and I will explain inside."

Scott nodded and got up, willing to do almost anything to take his father back to the island. Back home.

"John," Kayo murmured as her hand ran over his shoulder, "You should go to bed. Brains and I can manage the scan."

John shook his head, "If something came up on the scan... "

"You're no good to anyone if you're run down and over tired." She persisted, "We'll call you if we find anything."

John looked tiredly to the projection again, his eyes not really seeing the scrolling lines of code for what they were. He groaned and shook his head, trying to wake himself up enough to concentrate. It was of no good to anyone if he couldn't concentrate. If he left though, and EOS came looking for him, he'd have to be ready.

"I have to stay," He insisted again, "EOS-"

"Will still talk to us if you're not here," Kayo cut him off, "You need to sleep John. Now."

His shoulders slumped and he gave a defeated nod, "Okay."

She held his shoulders as he stood up, "I will call you if we find _anything_ remotely like her."

Defeated, John headed up to his room bidding Brains and Kayo a quiet goodnight as he went. The villa was silent apart from his footsteps, it didn't bother him though. John was used to the quiet of Thunderbird Five, the quiet of the villa wasn't all that different.

He paused outside Alan's room, listening for a moment to the quiet rustling indicating that the youngest brother was still awake. Knocking lightly, John called softly to his brother, "Al? You still awake?"

There was a loud sniff before Alan replied, "Yeah."

John let himself into the room and smiled softly to his little brother who had so obviously been crying, "Come here."

Alan shuffled over on the bed, cuddling into his lanky brother's side, "What if he doesn't come back John?"

John hugged his brother tightly with a sigh, "I don't know Alan, but we'll work it out. We'll do everything we can to find him. Scott knows all the systems we've got in place, if he can get in touch I'm sure he will."

Alan nodded, "Scott's almost as smart as you right? He'll know how to get home."

John smiled softly and ran his fingers gently through his brother's hair, "'Course Allie, Scott always finds his way home."

Alan lay back on the bed, "He might bring Dad home. Right John? If they disappeared in the same way they-"

"Don't get your hopes up Alan," John stopped him. He hated himself for saying it, but he couldn't let his little brother down when neither their father or the eldest brother turned up. Besides, he knew the chances of Scott being with their father were almost a million to one. He couldn't let Alan hold on to that hope.

"What about EOS?" Alan murmured as John lay down next to him, the pair barely fitting on the tiny bed.

"I don't know Alan. I think she's gone though, for good."

The younger brother shifted to look up to his brother in sadness, "But…"

"I know," John sighed, "We'll worry about it tomorrow though. Fresh start, once we've got some sleep we can think about it all."

Alan scoffed and tilted his head back, looking to the glowing stars stuck to his ceiling, "How can I sleep knowing that Scott's _gone_?"

John sighed and looked to the stars as well, "Close your eyes Allie, think of the good times."

They lay quiet for a few minutes, Alan's eyes shut as John stared up blankly at the ceiling. John couldn't sleep, he couldn't force the thoughts out of his head that he could have done more. There must have been something else he could do. He was certain of it.

"John?" Alan mumbled, snapping his brother out of his spiralling thoughts, "You know t'wasn' your fault, right?"

John looked down to his brother and ran his fingers through his hair, briefly wondering how Alan knew just when to say what he had. Were they really on such a similar wavelength that one knew what the other needed to hear? John doubted it, but didn't say anything to Alan.

"You did all you could Johnny." Alan mumbled as he shifted to get comfy, "We don't blame you for what happened - not your fault."

John smiled tiredly at his brother's mumblings, but it didn't change the facts. He had designed those safety systems and they had failed. Now Scott was gone as well as EOS, and their father. For that, John would always feel at least a little bit responsible.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next morning, John scrolled through the last lines of coding, checking it again for any trace of EOS. The news from Kayo in the middle of the night had not helped him rest, EOS was nowhere to be found in Thunderbird Five's systems, leaving John to question just where she might be. It had been almost a full twenty-four hours, more than enough time for the AI to work out a way to get in touch with him.

"I thought I heard you get up,"

John looked up from the screen he was working on, "Sorry Grandma."

She shook her head and sat down next to him, "Don't go wearing yourself into the ground John, Scott knows the systems we have in place-"

"He'll call us if he can," John nodded, finishing the sentence he had repeated too many times in the last twenty-four hours.

He sat back as he scanned the last line, "EOS made it out of Five, but it's taking her too long. If she could get hold of us I'm sure she would have by now."

He looked to his grandmother and shook his head, "You all keep saying it's not my fault, that I did everything I could," He looked down to the floor, "I should have done something more though."

Grandma rubbed his back comfortingly, "John, you tried, you gave up EOS to try and get your brother back. We all know just how much that computer programme means to you,"

John grimaced at Grandma's description of EOS but said nothing. Instead he thought about what she was saying, thinking about how his family had gotten to know EOS and how well he got on with her. He smiled at the memory of creating that first simple code that eventually lead to the AI. It had started as a computer game, something to challenge him better than his classmates or brothers could. Then she had come back to him, she had become his friend, and now she was gone, vanished into nowhere. It was the not knowing that was the worst. That was what always got John, not knowing if they were dead or alive, if they were suffering, if they needed rescuing. He was so used to knowing, the lack of knowledge was unnerving to John.

He looked up to the holoscreen again, just at the right moment to catch the flashing of a message. With the tiniest of hope swelling in his gut, John swiped for the message to open only to sigh in disappointment.

"I am sorry to say that I am yet to find any information to aid you with the search. I shall continue consulting my assets in the morning... Lady P." Grandma read out.

John shook his head and got up, heading towards the hangars by the hidden staircase Gordon usually had to run down.

"Where are you going John?"

He paused in the doorway and looked back to her, "I can't just sit here Grandma, I'll do a quick sweep in Thunderbird One. If a call comes in let me know and I'll divert to where I'm needed immediately."

Grandma stood to stop him, but was too slow. John was already gone.

Scott looked between his father and his aunt as he sipped the glass of water in his hand, "So, from his appearance last week I assume that you haven't managed to sort the issue with the Hood?"

Jeff shook his head as he limped over to the only empty chair left, "Unfortunately not."

Scott eyed his father's limp, "What happened to your leg?"

Casey shifted forward, watching Jeff purposefully as he eased down in the seat. Scott wasn't going to let up if his father brushed off his question, and Jeff couldn't keep it secret forever.

Jeff sighed and looked down to his leg, "Nothing, just a bit-"

"Don't lie to him Jeff," Casey cut him off with a hard look, "You're going to have to tell him eventually."

Jeff sighed and looked to his eldest, "I didn't want you to think that I was trying to win you over with sympathy."

He looked down to his leg and grasped the material of the sweatpants, drawing Scott's attention as he lifted the material.

Scott had to do a double take at the sight of his father's leg, pink flesh replaced by shiny black. He looked over the limb, noticing the change in tightness of the sweatpants just below Jeff's knee. Scott couldn't help but feel a little guilty for not noticing, or asking sooner. He'd seen all the signs but had been just too stubborn.

"The Hood shot down my plane." Jeff explained whilst Scott gaped, "We've located his base and I tried to get in there to get proof of what he's doing, only to lose my leg."

Casey didn't look impressed as she folded her arms, "And destroy _my_ jet."

Jeff glanced in her direction, "I offered to buy you a custom built one."

She didn't reply as she looked to Scott, "In the time he has been gone, your father has been working on locating the Hood's base. We then had to work out how exactly to get inside,"

Scott looked to his aunt, suddenly getting the feeling that he was back in the air force, back in a mission briefing, being told exactly what his role was.

"He's heavily armed. He had weapons that we have banned, and he is hiding something," Casey leant forward, watching Scott carefully, "Two people have attempted an attack on his base. One of those people is dead."

Scott looked to his father's prosthetic leg and then to his aunt, knowing exactly what she was asking of him. That was why they had dragged him out of the sky. That was why his father had disappeared. It was the best way to protect his family.

He nodded slowly, part of him wanting payback for what had happened to his father, part wanting to be rid of the Hood once and for all.

There was the risk though. The chance that the Hood got one step ahead and managed to obliterate him, leaving his family crushed in the worst way possible.

He looked up to the little camera lurking in the corner, and smiled softly, "EOS?"

The camera moved forward a fraction, "Yes Scott?"

"What do you think my chances are?"

It took her a moment, which reassured Scott, it meant she hadn't immediately thought that the mission was impossible. She gathered her information and analysed it, working out every possibility in the briefest of moments before replying, "Assuming your air force resume has not been exaggerated, I estimate your chances as approximately six hundred and twenty three thousand, to one."

Scott smiled and nodded, "I'll do it."

"But Scott," Jeff immediately started to protest, only to stop when Scott turned his smirk to him, "Don't worry Dad, us Tracy's have a track record for proving EOS wrong."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Scott lay back on his blanket that night and looked up to the sky. Jeff was sat just behind him in a camping chair, also looking up to the stars.

"I really should call the others," Scott murmured, wishing his whole family could be there but knowing why they weren't. He looked back to his father for a moment, "John will be eating himself up."

Jeff nodded once, "I know, but the moment they hear from you, they'll be trying to find you."

"Not if I told them to leave me." Scott suggested before he sighed, "I just feel like they should know something, rather than thinking…" He trailed off, still not quite used to the fact that it was his father he was talking to.

Jeff sighed and looked to Scott, "It's only for another two days Scott, then we can go back."

Scott looked to him pleadingly, "That'll be a total of four days," He shook his head, making Jeff worry that things at home may not have been managed as well as he had hoped, "That's a long time to be wondering if someone is dead or not."

Knowing how long the hours could feel when waiting for news on someone you loved, Jeff nodded, "I'll talk to your Aunt Val, but I can't promise anything."

"Can't promise what?"

Both men looked around, not completely startled by Casey's appearance, but confused by the hologram device she was carrying with her.

"EOS wanted to join us," Casey pointed out as she sat down on the rug, "She dislikes being left out."

She shared a smile with the men as the AI displayed herself as spindles of floating colours, "I only wish to know what is happening with this mission, and when I may go home to Thunderbird Five."

Casey looked to the two Tracy's, "You haven't contacted anyone on the Island, have you?"

"Not yet." Scott sighed, looking from EOS to her, "They'll be worried sick though,"

She gave him a firm shake of her head, "If they find out, you _know_ they will want to help."

"But-"

"She's right Scott," Jeff cut him off as Casey opened her mouth, "You might not like it, but it's for the best."

Scott huffed as he turned his gaze back to the stars, angry and frustrated that the pair of them had plucked him out of thin air and were forcing him to abide by their rules. Perhaps if he could get EOS on side he'd be able to contact them.

That bought another thought to his head, "How come you used EOS? I didn't think you knew about her?"

Of course, the AI had something to say, "Your father and Aunt found me when they were trying to get into Thunderbird Five's systems from a GDF base."

Scott looked to his father in question and Jeff nodded, "We were trying to get into the system with my credentials. When I left I set a programme up to block any trace of me from the system, which is why I couldn't be found."

Scott frowned, "But John's gone through Five's programmes a hundred times since then, he should have noticed?"

Casey nodded, "We thought of that too, hid it as part of the original code. It was hard to do but entirely possible."

Scott folded his arms and watched him, "And then what? Why didn't you alert John, EOS?"

The AI flashed green at him, "I recognised the credentials from the system and believed that it may have been Gordon playing a trick."

Scott smirked with a nod, knowing it wouldn't have been the first time that Gordon attempted to hack into their satellite.

"Then I realised that it was someone outside of the Island," EOS continued, her lights fading a soft pink, "And I found your father and Colonel Casey trying to get into the system."

Scott looked to the pair, both smiling like they had wanted to be caught out. He shook his head at them and looked back to EOS, "What did you do?"

"We persuaded her to not put the Island on lock down," Jeff coughed, "And explained the situation."

Scott nodded, it would have been useful to them to have EOS on the inside of their operation to fill them in on what actions the Hood took against the family. She would have also managed to make sure that nothing more on their father got through to John. Still, it was good to be clear that she was still on their side, even if she had seemed to still be the evil computer programme when she had taken over Tracy Two.

"Ever since I have been closely monitoring the Hood's actions towards International Rescue," EOS explained, "I have fed this information back without John's detection."

"So I gathered," Scott sighed, "I don't know what he's going to say about all of this."

He looked to his father as he sat forward to rub at the stump of his leg, "What is it?"

Jeff shook his head at him, "Just a bit sore, it's fine."

Scott nodded and settled back where he was, noticing how his aunt continued to watch his father. He could see she was debating whether to say something, but both knew that any offer of help would be brushed off.

"I can get you painkillers."

Scott smirked as his father sat back and gave her a firm look, "I don't _need_ painkillers Val, I keep telling you."

Scott pursed his lips, fighting a smile as his aunt folded her arms, "You also keep telling me that you don't like the chocolates I bought you, but the box is half empty."

Scott let out a snigger at the pair, shaking his head in amusement at their discussion. He watched at the glares they were throwing each other, anything but seriously, as they continued to argue. Looking to EOS he dropped his voice, "How long have they been like this?"

She replied without missing a beat, "Their antics have grown progressively worse within the last month I have been with them. It began when they were arguing about Kayo."

Scott frowned as the laughing paused, "Kayo?"

Jeff sat up straighter and Scott was taken right back to the room they had been using for the briefing.

"We were going to tell you tomorrow," Casey started.

Jeff looked between them, "I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone."

Scott sat forward with, not happy with the sudden seriousness. Something wasn't sitting right with him, something had changed. There was something Kayo had been hiding from them, something else his father had been hiding. He was meant to be in charge of it all, how could he do that properly if details were being left out?

He felt entirely in his rights to snap at his father, "Tell anyone _what_?"

A shadow moved in the tree behind them, shifting off of the branch and gliding the short distance to the ground, "The Hood's my uncle."

Jeff and Casey jumped at her sudden appearance, Scott stood to meet her, not faltering in his anger, "Your uncle?"

They kept moving towards each other until she had to look up and he had to look down.

"Yes, my father's half brother."

Scott shook his head, "And you didn't tell us?"

Kayo shrugged, unthreatened by Scott's height or hard eyes, "You father and Grandmother knew, I asked them not to tell you all though. John found out more recently."

Scott shrunk back a little, giving her a little more space to breath, and the slightest of confidence that he wasn't going to knock her into next week.

"Why didn't you…" He trailed off as she brushed past him, moving to the chair that Jeff had vacated. Scott looked around for the older pair, but they were nowhere in sight, vanished with the wind.

"Why didn't I tell you?" Kayo finished as she played with her hands, "Because I was ashamed. I thought you'd all hate me because you hated him. I realised that I should tell you but I thought it would be worse because I hadn't. So, I just didn't."

Scott gave her a soft look, suddenly able to sympathise with her, "We wouldn't have hated you, he's your uncle and you can't control what he does." He took her hand and squeezed it, "You're Kayo, not the Hood. What he does isn't what makes you."

She looked up to him and smiled weakly, "I'm still sorry."

Scott shook his head, "I wish you had told us, I'm upset you didn't feel you could trust us enough, but it's done. We can forget it and move on."

Kayo nodded, "Okay, thank you."

Scott smiled and hugged her tightly, "What did John say?"

He caught her smile as she pulled away, "He hacked into my comms while I was on the space hotel, heard the whole conversation."

Scott watched her as she looked up to the stars, her smile fading, "They think you're dead."

"They also think Dad's dead." Scott murmured, "We'll both be back in a couple of days."

Kayo looked back to him, "Can't you send a quick message? I'll talk them into not coming after you."

Scott sighed and glanced towards the main building of the hospital, "You distract Dad and Casey, I'll talk to EOS."

Kayo grinned and nodded, "FAB."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"You didn't seem very surprised when you appeared out of thin air," Casey commented as Kayo stepped into the office she had claimed in that small hospital. The younger woman sipped at her mug of, what smelled like, coffee with a small smile as she took a seat.

"I have my sources of information."

Casey looked over her glasses in warning, "Kayo."

The younger woman sighed and sat back in her seat, setting the mug of coffee down in front of her, "EOS told me. She had wanted to tell John but knew she couldn't. As the head of Cove-ops and the only other girl on the island, she felt she could tell me what was going on."

Casey nodded, "And you are aware of the implications if you tell the others about what is happening?"

Kayo sat forward in her seat, meeting Casey's eyes with a hard look, "I am not in a position to tell them that their father is alive. All I saw this evening was you and Scott speaking with EOS and another gentleman that I didn't get chance to recognise properly." She looked to the window of the office, looking directly over to Jeff's room, "All I know is that Scott's going to my uncle's hide out. I neither know where that is or what he is doing there. If I informed the others of what I know it could put Scott's mission in jeopardy."

She looked back to Casey, both women's features unwavering, "I wouldn't put any of them at risk for a moment."

Casey sat back and raised an eyebrow, "So why did you come here? More importantly, how?"

"John has been searching Thunderbird Five's systems for EOS's presence since she vanished with Tracy Two," Kayo explained, "I had an idea of what had happened as soon as I found that EOS wasn't in the system at all."

Casey watched Kayo carefully, suddenly realising how much she cared for EOS and for John.

"EOS had given me the coordinates to this base, incase I ever needed them." Kayo explained, "I had a feeling Scott may be here if he had gotten into trouble."

Casey nodded in agreement, slightly impressed with Kayo's logic. She wouldn't show the younger woman any difference though, she had to remain neutral. Kayo had to know just how vital it was that she did not tell the other brothers anything, if she did Casey didn't dare think of the consequences.

"Where were the others when you left?"

"On the Island." Kayo replied without hesitation, "John went out this morning to look for Scott, I managed to talk him out of an evening search and came myself. I'll have to leave soon if I'm to avoid suspicion."

Casey nodded and stood, walking over to the door to show that the discussion was over, "You'd better be on your way then Kayo."

Kayo straightened as she stood and nodded once, "Yes, Ma'am. I wouldn't risk such a thing."

"I know you wouldn't Kayo, now get back and act normal."

Kayo nodded as she passed Casey, slipping out into the corridor and vanishing around the corner. She gasped as she bumped into something solid, only to be pulled up mid fall by a smirking man, "Easy there."

"Scott," She sighed with a shake of her head, "What did EOS say?"

Scott glanced past her, checking for people listening in, "She's going to wait until John goes up to Five, then she'll appear and tell him I'm safe. I've recorded a message to send over."

Kayo nodded, "Okay, well, good luck with whatever it is you're doing."

She looked up as Scott smiled and squeezed her shoulders, "I'll be back before you know it."

She smiled to him weakly, "I know, just be careful."

"Always am." Scott called as he moved past her, heading around the corner and leaving Kayo once again alone.

"You took a long time," John stated as Kayo jumped out of her Thunderbird and headed towards him, she shook her head tiredly, "I went to Aunt Val."

John raised an eyebrow as she reached him, "And?"

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, she looked so tired, like the weight of the world was on her shoulders and she didn't know who to turn to. John wouldn't push her though, emotions weren't his strong point, if she didn't want to talk about it that was fine by him. That wouldn't stop him comforting her, he squeezed her shoulders and smiled softly to her, "It didn't go well then?"

Kayo shook her head, leaning into his skinny frame, "I got the impression she didn't want to talk to me. Like she didn't want to talk about _it_."

John nodded in understanding, "Maybe she's just still in shock," He offered, "We are her godsons remember?"

Kayo looked up to him and nodded, only really noticing his space suit then, "You're leaving?"

John nodded with a sigh, "I just can't sit around down here, and we agreed after my trip this morning that Scott would-"

"Flip if he found you'd been flying One," Kayo laughed, "Yeah, I get it."

John looked past her towards the space elevator, "I'd ask you to come with me…"

"I'm needed here though," Kayo nodded, "I know."

She hugged John tightly, wishing she could just make life easy and tell him everything. The risk wasn't worth the reward though. If she told him and he insisted on looking for Scott, everything could be put at risk.

"I'll talk to you soon." John told her as he pulled away, planting a final kiss on the top of her dark hair.

Kayo sighed as he went and she turned to the lounge, this was going to be a long afternoon.

The space station was too quiet. It had been a long time since John had made the journey up to Five without the constant chatter of EOS. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself as he floated through the main body.

"Computer open scan results." He commanded as he reached the main module. Whilst he trusted the computers to do their job, it was always reassuring to check the scan results himself for anything they may have missed.

"Scan results for what John?"

Without looking up from the scan John replied, "Checking Scott's flight path for any- EOS?"

"Hello John." The little voice greeted, "I am back."

John laughed as he did a little flip in the zero gravity, "You're back! What happened? Where did you go?"

"I made it onto your brother's jet," EOS confirmed to him.

John sobered instantly, "Tell me everything that happened EOS."

The AI paused before replying, "Your brother's jet was compromised by a virus in the system. It did not crash the jet but rather took it offline so it was untraceable by any human technology."

John straightened, watching the camera with a small glare, "So what happened to Scott?"

EOS watched him carefully, knowing that her words had to come out perfectly for him to believe Scott's script. She paused for another moment before continuing, "I can confirm that your brother is safe, but he does not wish to return to the island at this point."

John shook his head, not understanding why Scott would vanish and then refuse to return. It didn't make any sense to the second oldest, Scott wouldn't just leave them like he had, it went against everything he stood for.

"I don't understand," John stated, "Where is he?"

The camera looked towards the module and opened a hologram, "Your brother asked me to bring this message to you."

John frowned as he looked to the hologram of his brother, "John, I'm sorry I've vanished on you, I had to do it this way though. If I didn't I know one of you would have insisted on coming with me, and I can't risk that." He paused for a moment, but not long enough for John to process it all, "I found out what Dad was working on. All the details have been worked out and I've arranged with Casey the plan of action. I should be back in a couple of days, but it is vital that you don't look for me. You have to trust me here John, and EOS, please?" Scott sighed, "I wouldn't if I didn't have to John. Tell the others I love them though, and that they've to behave!"

John smiled briefly as Scott sighed and shook his head, "I'll be back as soon as I can, you guys take care."

"EOS," John started, "Where is he?"

"I cannot tell you that John," The AI responded, "Scott made me promise not to."

John groaned in frustration, "What is he doing?"

EOS hesitated and John knew that she wasn't as faithful to Scott as she had first made out, "I believe it is to do with the Hood."

John frowned at the AI, "Does Kayo know?"

His frown faded as EOS hesitated. He shrunk back a little and turned to the space elevator, "EOS, back to the Island, _now_."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"John?" Virgil frowned, "You only just left?"

John didn't pause, "Where's Kayo?"

Virgil sat up from where he'd been laying on the sofa, "In her room, I think, why? John!"

John had already left though, storming through to Kayo's bedroom and banging on her door, "Kayo!"

The door flew open, a blue towel wrapped around her head, and a white one around her body, "John? I thought-"

"What is Scott doing?" He growled quietly, "You lied to me! You said you'd been to see-"

"No!" Kayo cut him off, "I did!" She glanced up and down the hallway before dragging him into her room and locking the door, "I went to see Casey and Scott was there. I didn't tell you because he made me promise not to. He didn't tell me what he was doing, I swear John."

Her eyes were wide in fear, and her breathing heavy in shock, "Why? Have you spoken to him?"

John sighed and sunk down on the bed, shaking his head, "He sent me a message via EOS. I thought she might know something else but she wouldn't tell me. When I mentioned the Hood though she locked up."

"So you came back to ask me?" Kayo whispered.

He looked up with tired eyes, "And to tell the others."

She opened her mouth and closed it again, debating something to herself as she watched him. Scott would kill her, she could cope with that, but if it was John that never spoke to her again, she wasn't quite sure what she'd do.

Swallowing hard she sat down next to him on the bed and took his hand tightly in hers, "I do know more, but I swore to Scott that I wouldn't say anything. He wouldn't let me leave until I swore John. If I tell you, you can't tell the others."

He could see her change, how scared she was of what might happen if she did say something. Sighing, he took her hand, watching her carefully as she looked down and avoided his eyes, "Kayo, tell me?"

She looked up to him through long dark lashes and sniffed loudly, "It's your dad." She whispered to him, "Scott saw your dad."

John's eyes darted around for a moment, slotting together the information to work it out, "That's how he knew."

"What?" Kayo frowned, "What did Scott tell you?"

"He know's what Dad's plan was, he said something about doing it himself. EOS implied it was to do with the Hood." John looked to her, "Did you tell him?"

She nodded quickly, "He knew that I'd been keeping a secret, kept nagging me until I told him."

"Okay," John sighed, "Well we need to tell the others."

Kayo gave him a gentle shove and a smile, "Go on then! I'll come out when I'm dressed."

He looked to her as he stood up, "Okay. I'm sorry for yelling."

She shook her head, "Go!"

John stood with his arms folded as the rest of the family, including Kayo, watched Scott's message.

Virgil shook his head as the message blinked off, "What is he doing though? Why-"

"I don't know Virgil, EOS bought the message and Scott's blocked her out," He lied smoothly, "If he doesn't want us interfering though, then we'll just have to sit tight."

"But-" Alan started to protest as Grandma nodded, "Your brother will know what he's doing, I wouldn't worry."

"He's an idiot." Gordon uttered as he got up, "He could have let us help."

John ignored the younger brother's comment as he watched him go, knowing that if he knew the full story things would be very different. He sighed and shook his head to himself, still processing Kayo's words. Scott had seen Dad. That was all he knew and he wasn't sure what to make of it.

He lay in bed that night, still trying to work it out, trying to understand how things had ended up the way they had. Maybe it hadn't all been his fault after all, if both Scott and Dad had disappeared in the same way, and Scott was okay. Maybe he was meant to loose them, for this exact reason.

"John?" A soft voice broke into his thoughts as the door opened a crack, "Are you awake?"

He moved over on the bed and pulled the duvet back, "Yeah."

She curled into him and rested her head on his shoulder. He kissed her hair and wrapped an arm around her.

"What are you thinking about?" She whispered to him.

He could see her eyes watching him in the dim light of the moon. For a moment he got lost as he watched her, all loose hair and big eyes watching him as he watched her.

"Dad's alive," He stated, pulling his gaze away from her and looking out of the window, "I was trying to work out if it was my fault or not."

She sighed, her small hand resting in his hair as her fingers worked through it, "If what's happened with Scott is anything to go by, I doubt you could have done any more."

He let his eyes rest closed as he thought back to the first days, the nights spent endlessly searching for any sign of his father's plane. Those had been the days that he beat himself up endlessly, constantly hating himself for loosing sight, even if it was just for a moment. Then Kayo had noticed. She'd seen because she knew what it was like, she knew because she'd been doing it herself - not that John had known that at the time.

He was trying to work out when it had all changed. When had her company become something he craved? Something he looked forward to at the end of a long stint up on Five. It was all so hard to explain, there was nothing straightforward about it. Not even science could fully explain how feelings changed or how he'd fallen in love with the closest friend he had outside of his brothers. At least, that was what he assumed it was, love.

"When did this happen?" He murmured, partly to himself, partly hoping that she would have an answer.

She smiled softly, a small laugh escaping her lips and pulling his attention from the stars. Her hand left his hair to move to his cheek, brushing her thumb back and forth over the skin under his eye.

"I don't know," She whispered, "Why? Do you not…" She trailed off with the sudden realisation that maybe she'd pushed it too far and misread what she'd seen. His hand kept hers in place on his cheek though, making her hesitate in pulling away.

"I do," He told her, holding her gaze. His voice wavered as he spoke, "I'd like you to stay."

She frowned softly, trying to understand what he was thinking, "Why do you sound so unsure?"

"Because I don't understand it all," He admitted quietly, "It's all changed and I don't get _why_."

Of course, she smiled softly, a man of science rarely trusted his gut. John wasn't as bad as Brains, the Tracy trusted his gut so much more than the resident scientist she assumed he had to with three younger brother's on the loose. If she was honest, she didn't understand why things had changed, but sometimes she'd learnt it was better to just go with it than to question it all. Sometimes it just happened.

"Do you like the change?" She asked him cautiously.

He nodded instantly, "Yes, of course, Kayo. I-" He sighed, "You were my best friend that I had that wasn't someone in my family and I've fallen in love with you but I don't understand why it changed."

She nodded, "I know, and I don't understand either. It's one of those things to just accept and that you have to stop trying to understand."

He smiled to her as she sat up, "Yeah, I think you're right."

"Good," She whispered, "Now get some sleep."

He frowned as she moved off of the bed, "Where are you going?"

She bit her lip, not daring to look back to him, "Just to get a glass of water, I'll be back in a minute."

She heard him lay back down, "Okay, don't be long."

Letting out a quiet sigh, "I won't. I love you."

"I love you too Tan," John yawned as she slipped out of the door, praying he'd forgive her for lying.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Scott sighed as the small clearing he had planned to use for landing came into sight, "This is One Foxtrot Alpha Bravo Five to base, I'm going in."

He didn't expect a response on the other end. All his messages were going on a recording ready for his father and aunt to pick up when they found out he'd gone. He was ready to take on the Hood, there was no point in waiting any longer. His plane responded smoothly as he directed it down into the clearing, and he could only hope his family could forgive him.

The landing was smooth and easy, something he'd done a thousand times back in his air force days. The walk to the temple was another story though. It was a long way over uneven ground and through dense trees.

Scott let out a breath and allowed himself a smile as he finally got a full view of the temple, "You'd better be ready Hood, because I'm going to finish it."

"Not if I finish it first."

John shot up in bed, a feeling in the pit of his stomach leaving him feeling sick. He looked to the empty space next to him and frowned, it was too early for Kayo's morning run. Besides, he was a light sleeper, he would have woken up if she had got up. He pushed the covers back and got up, heading straight towards the kitchen.

The faint smell of burning was already floating through the house, John knew it would be Grandma's morning toast, he hoped that she had seen Kayo in passing.

"Grandma?" He called as he ducked into the room. He sighed and looked around, trying to deduce where the mild smoke lead to. With a sigh he pressed the eject button on the toaster, but it was too late for the two slices of wholemeal, charred until they no longer looked like bread.

A lonely figure moved out on the deck, catching John's eye, he walked out into the early morning sun. Lifting his arm and wrapping it around her shoulders he looked out to the horizon, "Have you seen Kayo this morning?"

She looked up to him, "No, should I have?"

John sighed, causing her concern as his face twisted. Squeezing his arm to draw his attention she gave him a stern look, "You can tell me. I know there's something going on between you." "She came into my room last night," John admitted with a sigh, "We talked, then she left to get a drink and I don't know if she came back."

Grandma frowned, "I didn't hear her come down, I was in the lounge until late."

She shook her head as John pulled a worried face, "It's Kayo, she can look after herself."

He looked down to her with a sigh, "I hope so."

Grandma gave him a gentle nudge, "Let's get breakfast, then if we've still not heard from her we can call her."

John grimaced as he looked to Grandma, "How about _I_ make you breakfast?"

Grandma smiled, "Well that would be a nice change."

The pair turned inside and started on waffles for the whole family. As the smell of batter and bacon filled the house, it attracted the rest of the Tracy clan and Brains. All chattered happily, unaware of the missing presence that John couldn't help but notice.

As soon as he finished his food, the second oldest headed to the lounge ready to put a call through to Kayo. He was surprised by an incoming call from her, "Kayo?"

"John," She sighed in relief, "I'm on my way back now, meet me in the hangar."

He frowned, she seemed tense, "What's going on?"

A voice chirped in at Kayo's end before she could reply, "I am sorry, I am unable to get through to Scott. Though from what I can find, he is on the move."

"EOS?" John frowned harder, "What do you mean?"

"John?" Kayo pleaded, her features desperate as she looked to him, "We'll explain everything when we get back."

John stepped back slightly, something in his mind clicking into place. Kayos _we_ didn't mean just her and EOS. He looked up to her slowly, trying to work out if this was really happening or not. Kayo just gave a small nod, "I'll see you in ten minutes."

"Okay," John whispered, not quite sure what to do.

He looked down to the clothes he was wearing, his pajamas and nodded slightly to himself before turning back to the kitchen.

"Kayo will be back in ten minutes," He told the others, "She wants us all down there washed and dressed."

"But-" Alan started to complain, gesturing to the mountain of food on his plate. John shook his head and gave him a hard look, "Now, Alan."

Virgil frowned as he took his plate to the sink, "What's wrong John?"

John paused and let his shoulders sink, "You'll see soon Virg."

The group made it down to the hangar, just as three figures began to walk away from Thunderbird S. John paused as the others kept going, probably the first to really register who was with Kayo. Alan was the first to cry out, making the three figures pause, "Dad!"

The youngest was first to reach them, throwing his arms around the middle figure. John let out a long breath as the others hurried forward. Of course, he was pleased his father was back, but there was something more going on and he needed to work out what.

As his older brother reached the group, Virgil raised an eyebrow, "You knew?"

John shrugged, "Kinda."

Virgil smiled and looked back to their father, "When on god's earth have you been Dad?"

Jeff just shook his head at his middle son, still holding on to Alan, "I think I should explain upstairs."

Gordon prodded a finger towards their aunt, "You knew didn't you? You knew all along." He laughed, "I'm going to have to up my game to compete with this!"

"Jefferson Tracy." Once voice overruled the rest, "You are in so much trouble."

Jeff sighed and glanced to Val, his face falling, "I think I'm about to be in a whole lot more."

Val just folded her arms and shook her head at him, "You Tracy's will be the death of me."

"If only Scott were here," Alan sighed from under his father arm, "Wait. Scott said-"

"That's why they're here," Kayo interrupted, "Scott's in trouble."

Everyone turned to look at her, either confused or surprised but all equally worried. She turned to head upstairs, leaving everyone to look after her.

Jeff sighed and went to move after her, "Come on, I'll explain in the lounge."

Virgil noticed the slight limp instantly, "What's-"

"Upstairs." His aunt told him, a warning in her voice.

Grandma shared a look with her son, one tired and the other worried, she understood though and turned to the boys, "Come on, let's go and make some drinks."

John hesitated after the others, holding his father's gaze for a moment until he spoke, "I'm sorry I left John."

He gave a small nod and looked after the others, "I'm sure Scott's already told you everything."

"Yes," Jeff sighed, "And I honestly can't say anything more than how sorry I am right now."

John looked away, "I guess I'll just have to take that then."

Jeff shook his head, "I wouldn't expect you to."

Looking back, John smiled softly, "I'm glad you're back though."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"So you two are responsible for Scott going missing?" Virgil frowned, "You kidnapped your own son out of thin air?"

He saw his aunt look to his father and knew the answer before she spoke, "It was his idea. I told him it wasn't a good option."

John sighed from by the window, looking out to the ocean, "Tell them about EOS."

Virgil frowned and looked from John to their father, "What about EOS?"

"She became our ally after she caught us trying to get into the systems." Jeff explained, "She's been helping with tracking the Hood."

"So where's Scott now?" Alan asked, "He said he'd-"

"He's gone after the Hood," Kayo cut Alan off, looking towards Jeff and Val, "He went before he was meant to didn't he?"

Jeff nodded, "Yeah, we explained the same thing to him as we have to you all. I asked him if he'd finish what I started."

Alan shook his head, "But why did you need Scott?"

Jeff looked down as Val glanced to him, "Because he couldn't do it, not that he didn't want to."

Finally John turned himself towards the group, confused as to what his aunt meant. Everyone else in the room had also shifted, each somehow moving closer to their father. Jeff sighed and shook his head, "I tried to do what Scott is doing, the Hood shot my plane down though."

John glanced across to where Kayo was stood, catching her worried look as Jeff continued, "I went down with it, there wasn't enough time to eject, that's about all I remember."

"There's something more," Grandma moved to sit next to him, "I know when you're hiding something Jeff."

He shook his head, "It's nothing."

"Stop lying!" Val snapped as she jumped up, "It's not nothing! It's anything but nothing Jeff. So stop pretending it is. This affects all of us now."

"What does?" Kayo moved forward, "What happened? What did the Hood do?"

Val watched Jeff, waiting for him to say something. When he stayed silent she opened her mouth to say it herself, only to be cut off.

"It doesn't matter right now." Jeff told them standing up, "We need to find Scott and make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

John nodded in agreement, "Where is it he's headed?"

"To-"

"Well, the great Jeff Tracy has returned."

Everyone turned to the centre of the sunken lounge, all frowning in hatred at the shadow being projected into the room. John and Kayo stepped towards the group, unconsciously moving closer to each other as they did.

"It's funny how when one Tracy returns, another is lost." The projection chuckled, "And always your leaders too."

"Where's Scott!?" Alan cried out, "What have you done to him?"

There was a long pause, Virgil shifted, his hands clenching at the thought of his brother being harmed. Gordon moved to Virgil's shoulder, ready to grab him, but equally as ready to back him up. Kayo slipped her hand into John's as she watched the shadow, praying that the Hood wouldn't give her away.

"I'm fine Alan."

Everyone let out a small sigh until the Hood added, "For now. Bring me the Thunderbirds and no harm will come to your family, don't and you'll lose someone. This time, permanently."

Then the shadow was gone.

Scott raised his chin as the Hood stepped past the camera towards him, "They won't do it, they know I won't want them to."

The Hood looked down to him, his face hard as ever, "Then your family has signed your own death warrant."

Scott remained defiant, "I wouldn't be so sure."

The Hood turned away, waving his hand at the two minions holding Scott, "Show him what we do to people that don't believe our strength."

Scott's eyes widened as he realised fully what the Hood meant, he pulled away from the minions only to be kicked in the back of his legs, sending him stumbling to the floor. He was dragged up by his collar and marched away from the room, this time with three minions keeping a tight grip on him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Alan jumped towards the hangars as the Hood's shadow blinked out, "Well what are we waiting for!?"

Kayo looked to him pointedly, "Going in there with a half cooked plan isn't going to do anyone any favours."

She looked to Jeff, "Do you know where they are?"

He nodded, bringing up a world map on the holoprojector, "It's a small jungle hidden away in malaysia."

John looked to the area his father had focussed in on on the map and nodded, "Not far to fly."

Kayo nodded in agreement, "I've flown past that area a few times, it'll be hard to land."

She let out a breath, thinking through their options, "Do we know what the inside of the base is like?"

Jeff looked to her tiredly, "A maze, in short."

She nodded, having expected as much from her uncle, simple protection methods were often the most effective. Not that he wouldn't use the more extravagant methods as he had on Jeff's plane.

"The fewer people that go in the better," She stated, "That way we don't get separated and-"

"Who put you in charge?" Gordon snapped at her, drawing Kayo's attention from the holomap.

She opened her mouth to reply but was beaten to it by John, "It doesn't matter Gordon, Kayo knows best." He paused, choosing his next words carefully, "She's been doing a lot of research on the Hood, I think she's most qualified."

"It's Scott though!" Gordon protested, "And Dad seems to know more than her, he's the one that's been going after the Hood for the last year."

"Yeah!" Alan chipped in, "Dad's been completely focussed on the Hood for ages! You've been doing allsorts Kayo."

Kayo bristled a little at the younger boys' comments but didn't bite, "Okay, if that's what you all want."

"No." Jeff shook his head, "Kayo's right, she should take the lead on this one."

Kayo looked across the room and gave the father a small nod, "Thank you."

He nodded back to her, "I think you're more experience in this field than me."

Virgil looked to Kayo, "So what do we do?"

Jeff sighed and shook his head, "I still don't think this is your best idea, Kayo."

She shrugged as she scanned her hand for another door, "It's working so far, isn't it?"

He smiled at her and tutted, "I take it you still haven't told them?"

"Is this really the best time?" She asked as they slipped through the door.

Jeff shook his head as he watched her, "Is there ever going to be a right time?"

He thought, after a moment of silence, that she wasn't going to respond, she was too focussed on checking around the corner they had come to. She surprised him though as she stepped into the next corridor, "Probably not. But telling them when it's _him_ that's holding their brother for ransom, probably won't improve their faith in me."

She froze as she finished speaking, watching something up ahead carefully that Jeff's old eyes were too weak to see.

"Down here." She whispered after a long moment of silence, slowly moving ahead.

Jeff followed her closely, only able to keep up thanks to the speed she was walking at. When it had come to splitting up, she had insisted he followed her.

"Why were you so insistent on me coming with you?"

Kayo paused to look back to him and then continued, "Partly because of them not knowing," She told him, "Partly because I'd rather be the first to find him, and partly, because he'll be distracted if you're there."

Jeff tutted and rolled his eyes, "So that's all I am? A distraction?"

Kayo hesitated around the next corner, pushing Jeff back slightly as she whispered, "And I think Scott will open up more to you."

Jeff's eyes widened as he whispered in warning, "Kayo."

Before she let herself reply Kayo darted around the corner and into the opening. She froze at the scene, Scott curled on the floor glaring daggers at the man that stood over him. Both looked to her, the Hood's face falling slightly, "Well, this is an unexpected turn."

She pulled her gaze from Scott and looked to the Hood, "I hope you're not expecting anything from us."

The Hood tutted at her, "When will you learn Kayo? I am not going to judge you if you come back to me."

"Never." She spat, "I chose my family, and it's with the Tracy's."

"We didn't take her from you Hood," Jeff told him as he stepped over to Kayo, "We didn't make her stay with us."

"That doesn't change the matter," The Hood told them, "You and your family have ruined everything I worked to accomplish."

Kayo shook her head, "Your ethics were always wrong, you'd have gone down the drain eventually anyway."

The Hood nodded in admission, "Perhaps so, but soon so will the Thunderbirds."

The three of them looked to Scott as he tensed, trying to push himself up as he retched.

Kayo nodded to Jeff as he moved towards his eldest son, gently pulling him up as he gasped for breath. Scott looked up to the Hood and shook his head slowly, "You'll never pull my family apart."

"I wouldn't be so sure." The Hood stated as Scott slumped back against his father's shoulder. From where she was stood, Kayo could see him shaking possibly in fear, probably in shock. The Hood had done something to him, something bad.

"What have you done to him!?" Kayo yelled as she looked back to her Uncle, a sudden sense of dread setting in.

Jeff ran his fingers through his son's hair, "Come on Scott, stay awake." He sighed and tried to keep his voice calm, as Scott tensed, "It's going to be okay,"

"Dad?" He managed to whisper, "Don't go, please? Don't go again."

Jeff shook his head, "No, I'm not going anywhere son, okay? I'm staying here."

"Scott, are you down here!?"

Jeff looked up at the sound of his middle son's voice and then looked to the Hood, they had him trapped. Kayo was circling around her uncle, making sure she had the best position to fight him. Scott groaned and screwed his eyes shut, cursing slightly under his breath as he fought to stay awake.

"They shouldn't-" He swallowed and winced, "What are they doing here?"

Kayo looked back to Scott, he looked so exhausted and in so much pain as he tried to double up. She turned to look to the Hood, knowing he had done this to him.

"You have hurt this family too many times." She spat at him.

He paused to roll his eyes at her, "Come now Tanusha, you have no place in that family."

"She will always have a place in this family."

Kayo gasped and turned at their sudden arrival, surprised to see all four remaining brothers in the tunnel entrance. As she locked eyes with John, something hit her in the side. She doubled over with a wince as the Hood made his break for it.

Virgil was first to grab at him, rugby tackling him back into the room as the others blocked off the entrance. The cry from the other side of the room distracted Virgil for the briefest moment, giving the Hood his chance to push him away and re-attempt his escape. Virgil's tackle had given Kayo enough time to recover herself, she was ready, standing as a last barrier between the brothers and him.

"What have you done to Scott?" She growled at him.

The Hood shrugged, "A very basic poison, slowly working its way through his system."

"What have you given him?" She whispered in horror.

He chuckled as he folded his arms behind his back, "Now, that would be telling, wouldn't it Tanusha?"

She ground her teeth, her fists clenching tighter in readiness to punch him, hard.

"Why does he keep calling you that?" Alan frowned, "How does he know your name Kayo?"

Kayo turned back to look to one of her best friends, her face softening in apology to him.

"Oh yes." The Hood laughed, "Tell them Tanusha! Tell them how you lied and deceived them all, I warned you. I said it wouldn't stay a secret forever." The Hood looked back to where Virgil had joined his father and brother, doing what he could to work out what was wrong with Scott, "Soon he'll be dead, and it'll be all your fault Tanusha, my niece."

"No!" She cried throwing a sloppy punch at him, only to have it dodged as the Hood ducked past her.

Suddenly too worried about their older brother, the three brother's let him go, more interested in getting to Scott than in getting justice. Kayo sobbed as she looked to Scott, his shivering stopped and his eyes closed. It was all her fault. She was the reason the Hood had come after the family.

"He needs a hospital," Virgil was saying, "A poison centre or something."

Kayo looked to Scott again, remembering what the Hood had said, "Poison."

John looked up as she turned, sprinting into the tunnel they had come from, "Kayo!" He yelled, getting up to follow her, knowing that she would blame herself for what had happened, "Kayo, it's not your fault!"

"No!" She called back as she ran, "I know what it is, I think I can fix it." She swallowed a sob as she reached the entrance of the lair quickly finding the bushes she'd seen as a child, pink flowers with blue berries, "Please, just don't let it be too late."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

John sighed as his immediate younger brother paced the small room, "Virg, you couldn't have done any more."

Virgil shook his head as he turned on the spot and started his three steps in the other direction. He was convinced there should have been something more he could have done, anything instead of _just_ CPR.

"John's right," Gordon pointed out, "The Hood poisoned him Virgil, there wasn't anything else to do other than keep him alive while Kayo's antidote worked."

Kayo looked up at the mention of her name, but was quick to look down again when she realised nobody was talking to her. A light weight rested around her shoulders, "Stop beating yourself up Kay," He murmured to her, "Without you, he'd probably be dead now."

"The gentleman's right," A doctor stated as he stepped into the room, "If you hadn't have given him those petals young lady, we'd most certainly be looking at murder."

Virgil finally paused in his pacing and looked to Kayo as she dropped her gaze.

The doctor addressed the rest of the family as he introduced himself, "I'm Doctor Hall, I specialise in poison cases here," He looked to Kayo again, "I am amazed you knew about the Devil's Child flowers, it's a very rare plant."

Kayo looked up, "It's very common around my home village, my Papa told me about it when I was just a child."

Doctor Hall nodded to her, "And lucky you remembered it."

"How is he?" Jeff asked tiredly.

"Alive," The doctor started, "Unconscious for now, but stable. He has a few broken bones and there was a small amount of internal bleeding that I've fixed. Seeing as he'd had the antidote and responded well to it once we got him going again, I'd like to leave his body to it. We'll monitor his blood over the rest of the afternoon to make sure the levels are going down as they should."

Virgil looked to the Doctor, "And what if they don't go down? There were only two petals,"

"That's possibly all he needed," The doctor assured him, "If it's still high tonight, I'll ask a nurse to put him on dialysis overnight."

Alan got up, "So he'll be okay?"

The doctor nodded, "Once the bones have healed and the poison is out of his system, he'll be fine."

"Can we see him?" Grandma asked quietly.

The Doctor held the door, "For a few minutes, of course someone can stay with him over night, but I'm afraid all of you-"

Jeff smiled and nodded, "We know the drill, thank you Doctor."

"I'll show you there now." The doctor smiled to them.

Kayo hung back as the others went ahead to see Scott, John hesitated and looked back to her, "Kay?"

She shook her head, "It's not my place to be there."

John sighed and turned back into the room, making sure the door was shut, "Yes it is Kayo, you're as much family to Scott as the rest of us. None of this was your fault."

She looked up to him, "But if I'd-"

"If you hadn't have been there, Scott would be dead." John reminded her, "He owes you his life, I don't think the others are going to care all that much about what the Hood said."

"We could have gotten him," She sighed, "Then this would all be over, he wouldn't still be out there looking for us."

"But someone else would be," John told her, "There will always be someone who wants out machines for the wrong reasons," He brushed a tear from her soft cheek as he paused, "It was just bad luck that the first one was him."

He sighed as she stepped into his arms, "It's okay," He murmured to her, "They don't hate you."

"They've not spoken to me though," She frowned, "Not-"

John pulled back and held her at arms length, "That means nothing, you should know that. We are all just in shock right now, that doesn't mean they hate you."

She sighed and nodded, "Okay."

John kissed her hair, "Come on, I expect Grandma will drag us home after we've seen Scott."

Kayo smiled softly to him, "Surely she wouldn't?"

John nodded as they began to walk, "We're no used to him here, is what she'll say, then she'll go on about how we'll be called as soon as..."

He paused as he pushed open the door to Scott's room, Grandma stood facing the youngest three, "... soon as anything changes."

John and Kayo shared a knowing grin and had to stifle their laughs as they stepped into the room.

"But-" Virgil was about to complain, sounding more like his youngest brother than the middle child.

"You know it's pointless arguing," John cut in with a look to their father, "Though maybe one of us should…"

Grandma looked over to her own son and frowned, "Hmm." She eventually nodded to John, "You can stay. The rest of you, home, now."

John opened his mouth to protest, that wasn't what he had intended. Virgil was a better candidate to stay, he had the bedside manner and was closer to Scott in so many ways. He had just wanted to go home and make sure Kayo stopped beating herself up.

A look with Virgil confirmed it though, there was no arguing with Grandma.

"Here," Jeff held out the paper cup to his son, "I went to the shop out on the corner."

John looked up from his newspaper and to the red cup, "Thanks,"

"I assumed you still favoured chocolate over coffee?" The father asked as he sat back down on the other side of Scott's bed.

John smiled and nodded, "Yeah, things haven't changed that much Dad."

Jeff snorted and looked down, "I know I've said I'm sorry, but I don't know what else to say."

John looked across to him, noting his father's tired eyes as they watched Scott. He had to admit that he looked sorry, it wasn't like he was simply just _saying_ sorry. Suddenly, it clicked in John's head just why Grandma had made him stay. John was a listener, it was all he spent his days doing, listening, watching, and processing. If any of the brothers could see that their father truly was sorry, without blowing their top, it was probably John.

"You could tell me why you went," John murmured, looking across the bed, "What it was you were doing?"

Jeff nodded, "He was sending threats, mostly aimed at Kayo, but I couldn't risk it," He paused and looked down again, "If he'd have come after any of you, I never could have forgiven myself." John saw his father's hand tighten around the paper cup, "I had to find him, your Aunt and I thought that the element of surprise would help us. We were wrong."

Jeff looked up and across to his son, "I insisted on trying anyway, if we could just get on the inside we could flush him out." He shook his head, "George, a kid about Virgil's age, volunteered to go in, he was the best in his squad. The Hood took him down, he didn't stand a chance."

He sighed and shook his head, "I told your aunt that I wouldn't risk anyone else, it wasn't fair to make people fight for my cause. So I said I'd do it myself."

John frowned and looked to Scott, thinking about what had been said in the lounge, "But he shot you down too." He looked back to his father, "What happened? Why did you have to get Scott?"

The father sighed and stood up, moving around the bed with his slight limp. He could see John watching him as he reached down to his trouser leg, "I said the same to Scott, I didn't tell you because I didn't want the sympathy."

John frowned as he looked down to his father's leg, only to gasp in shock, "You… He…"

Jeff eased himself down by Scott's feet, "I'm not certain what happened, I never asked Val. It wouldn't change anything if I did know."

John nodded in agreement, still trying to process it in his head, "Why didn't you just tell us before?"

Jeff shrugged as he rubbed his aching leg, "I didn't want you to think it changed anything," He sighed, "Prosthetics these days are about as good as the real thing once you get used to them."

"You lost your leg," John whispered, closing his eyes as he shook his head, "Sorry, I-"

Jeff nodded to him, "Yeah, it's not easy to get your head around."

John shook his head again, the entire two days finally hitting him like a wrecking ball. It wasn't his fault, he hadn't lost their father. Dad was alive, he was there, but at the same time, Scott had almost died.

"John," His father sighed as he shook, "Hey, it's okay Son."

John shook his head as his father's hands rested on his shoulders, "I thought it was all my fault, that I couldn't find you. Maybe I'd done something wrong and-and-"

"Hush," Jeff soothed, as his son leant into the awkward hug, resting his head against his father's stomach, "It was anything but your fault John, I _know_ that you did everything you could. I wish so badly I could go back and change the way I did things, because I shouldn't have done it like I did."

"You were just gone," John whispered, "I was meant to be watching, and you were just gone."

Jeff sighed, "I'm so sorry John, I'm sorry."

John blew out a long breath and pulled out of the hug, "It's fine, you had the right intentions at heart."

Jeff rested a hand on his son's shoulder and smiled softly, "I'm proud of you, of all six of you. It took guts to keep going like you did."

John smiled, wiping the stray tears from his cheeks, "I've missed you Dad, can we just forget what's happened and move on?"

Jeff nodded with a smile, "I'd like nothing better."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Things on the island were tense, to say the least.

On the flight back, Alan had picked back up on the Hood's words and had questioned Kayo about it. She'd given in to his questions and had explained the full story to the three brothers, from the beginning, right through to when she had found out about their father.

Alan had been the first to react, snapping at her in anger before turning his back on her. Gordon had shaken his head, as if the information hadn't quite sunk in. His questions left Kayo wondering if he didn't believe her fully, that he needed more than what she'd given him. The truth was, she'd already given it all to him. Virgil was the worst though, his blank face and lack of words left Kayo clueless to his thoughts.

As soon as they had landed she had escaped down to the gym, not daring face the accusatory glares they were no doubt going to give her. Grandma stayed as kind as ever, making sure to leave Kayo some dinner in her room, saving her the tension at the dinner table. John called her that night, and the following two nights, filling her in separately to his family. She had a feeling he was telling her more than the others, trying to get her to confide in him in exchange for him confiding in her. She couldn't be persuaded though, in her mind it was her fault, and every time Alan left the room when she stepped in, or whenever Gordon asked another question, the guilt just burrowed deeper.

It was the third morning they had been on the island when Kayo woke up from her few hours of sleep. She'd decided that it was her fault, she'd decided that long ago, but it was that morning she decided what she could do about it as she pushed her bedsheets back and headed down to the hangars.

Virgil frowned as he looked up from the bolt he was tightening on his 'bird, there was the quiet footsteps of someone along the gangway above him. He looked over to the steps, surprised to see Kayo suited up and heading towards her ship. Then it clicked in his head what she was doing, "Kayo!" He yelled in warning as he jumped up, running to beat her to the bottom of the steps.

"Let me past." She growled at him, having the advantage of height on the second to last step.

Virgil shook his head, "I'm not letting you go out there."

"I have to find him!" She yelled, "What if he does it all again? What if it's worse this time?"

Virgil grabbed her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake, "He won't." He told her, "Okay? The GDF have his base covered, he can't go back without them knowing and he's not going to come after us again for a while."

Kayo sighed and shook her head, "It's all my fault, your Dad only left because I was getting threats off of the Hood." She tried to push past him, "I have to go-"

Virgil held her back, "No Kayo, you don't." He frowned, "And how do you know…"

"John told me." She sniffed, guessing how the question was going to finish.

Virgil sighed, "Stop beating yourself up Kayo," He loosened his grip on her arms, "You can't help who your family is, we told you that when we got home and talked about it."

"But-"

"Dad went of his own accord," He cut her off, "Whether it was because you were being threatened or because of another reason, it's not your fault."

She sighed and sunk down on the step, hiding her face in her hands, "I just wish it was all different, I should have told you all."

Virgil sat next to her and lifted an arm around her shoulders, "We wish you had," He murmured to her, "But you didn't, and even though Alan pretends to be mad at you, and Gordon keeps asking questions, it doesn't matter." He rubbed her arm comfortingly, "You're still Kayo Kyrano, and you're still our sister."

She sniffed and looked up to him, "You mean that?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Virgil frowned, "You know I don't say stuff I don't mean."

She pulled a face, "I can think of one or two-"

"You know what I mean," He cut her off with a smile, "We all say things in the heat of the moment."

Giving him a nod she rested her head on his shoulder, "Thank you."

He squeezed her shoulder, "Don't worry about the Hood, we'll all deal with him together."

She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a call from the lounge, "Virg, Kayo, come quick, it's Scott!"

"They only had tuna salad one," John announced as he pushed the door open. He looked up and frowned, not understanding why Jeff was sat up on the bed running a hand through Scott's hair. Well, he did understand, it was something both their parents had done when the boys had been sick. John didn't see the purpose though as Scott was asleep.

Then he heard the panicked breaths, short, sharp and gasping, and his father's murmured comforts, "It's okay, it's all okay."

John set the sandwiches down on a table and moved around to the other side of the bed, "Hey Scott," He murmured, "How're you doing?"

"Chest," The older brother breathed, the sound catching in his throat, "Hurts."

"I'll go and get a doctor," Jeff volunteered, "I won't be long."

Scott opened his eyes as his father left the bead, wearily watching him go before he looked to John. The younger brother took Scott's hand and squeezed it tightly, "You're an idiot you know?"

Scott huffed out a breath with a wince and went to close his eyes again. John smiled to himself and shook his head, it wasn't every day big brother, smother hen got to be smothered by his younger brothers. John gently ran his fingers through Scott's hair, wondering if Scott always felt the twist in his gut when one of them was hurt or sick. He moved to sit back in the chair, watching Scott carefully, "What was it?"

His older brother's face twisted into a frown and his eyes flicked to John for the briefest of moments before he replied, "Nightmare." The older brother swallowed and was quick to add, "It doesn't matter though."

John rolled his eyes at him, "Of course it doesn't."

Scott ignored his younger brother as the door opened, "Hey doc."

John got up, "I'll go and call the others," He smiled to his father as they passed, "I won't be long."

Jeff nodded as he hovered by the door, waiting to hear the Doctor's verdict. He sighed as the doctor nodded, "You seem to be fine," He confirmed, "We'll keep you in overnight just to be sure and then I'd say you could go home tomorrow morning."

Scott smiled tiredly, looking past the doctor to his father, "That sounds good."

"Back to normality," Jeff smiled, "Thank you doctor."

"No problem at all," The doctor turned away slightly, "I'll send a nurse around to give you a top up on painkillers."

"Thanks," Scott sighed, his eyes already drooping.

Jeff shook his head as he stepped over to the bed again, "What are we going to do with you?"

He smiled as Scott sighed, "You would'a done the same."

"Too right he would have." A woman's voice announced from the doorway. Scott forced himself a little more upright, "Hey, Aunt Val."

"You rest." She told him, gently pushing him back into the mattress, "It's your father I've come to pick a bone with."

Scott glanced across to his father, a small smirk playing on his lips, "I thought I was in trouble."

"Go back to sleep," Jeff instructed as he got up, "We'll be back in a minute."

Scott's eyes were already closed as he pulled the door open and nodded to Val.

"Did you find anything?" He murmured as the door clicked shut behind them.

She shook her head, "Nothing, but I'm keeping a team monitoring the area for the foreseeable future."

Jeff sighed and looked back through the door, "Pray he doesn't come back for us now,"

He looked back as Val rested her hand on his shoulder, "The Hood is a fool in so many ways, but equally there are many ways in which he is not." She shook her head, "He knows that he's going to have to rethink his strategy now. With Kayo out in the open, and what we've learnt, his old plots and plans are useless."

Jeff nodded, "I hope you're right."

"I frequently am." Val smiled as she spotted John over Jeff's shoulder, "I have work to do, I'll swing by this evening."

Jeff nodded, "Okay," He leant down and pecked her cheek, "Take care."

She kissed him in return, "I should be telling you that."

He laughed softly as she turned and walked away and John stood next to him, "What was all that about?"

Jeff shook his head, "Just your Aunt misbehaving."

John raised an eyebrow as if he didn't quite believe it but said nothing as they turned into Scott's room.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Scott winced as the jet bumped to the ground, his ribs throbbing with the sudden movement. He wasn't quick enough to hide his discomfort as John looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm fine," He brushed him off, "Just my ribs."

"Whatever you say," John shook his head as he closed his book and packed it away, "The others will be glad to have you back."

Scott nodded as he stood up, "I'll talk to Kayo as soon as I can get her alone."

John smiled in thanks to his brother as their father opened the door of the jet, "Welcome back."

Scott snorted as he ducked through the door, "You're the one that's been gone forever Dad."

The three laughed as they headed up to the villa.

"You're back!" Alan exclaimed as he spotted his oldest brother.

Scott laughed and held his arms out as his younger brother ran over, "Hey Allie."

John glanced across the room, catching Kayo's eye from where she hesitated in the doorway. He could hear Virgil on the stairs, and Gordon heading up from the kitchen with Grandma, he could afford to slip away for a couple of minutes.

"Hey," He sighed as he reached her, "Want to walk?"

She nodded, already turning to head out to the pool.

Scott paused in his greetings as he watched Kayo head out, past the pool towards the beach, John following her closely.

He looked over as Virgil stepped up next to him, "You should go and talk to her."

Scott raised an eyebrow, "She's really been that bad?"

Virgil nodded quietly, "The kids are starting to come around, but she still thinks…" He trailed off as Gordon bounded up to them.

"What'cha whisperin' about?" He grinned at them, "Is it about how much you've missed me Scott?"

Scott scoffed, "In your dreams Gords."

"Go on," Virgil nodded to Scott, "I'll keep this lot out of the way."

Down on the beach, Kayo threw another stone into the ocean. John was sat back in the sand watching her as they talked, "But Scott's fine, you've seen him!"

"It doesn't change the fact that I did that to him," She called back as she picked out another stone, "If I'd have been honest from the start, none of this would have happened."

"You don't know that," Another voice interjected, "The Hood would still be the same psycho even if you'd told us."

Kayo paused mid throw and looked back to Scott, "You should-"

"Be here talking to you," Scott cut her off, "The others have seen me, and talked to me. It's you I'm worried about now."

Kayo turned away and threw her stone, watching it jump across the surface three times before it sunk. Scott smiled and picked up his own pebble before throwing it after hers, "Five." He smiled, "I win."

"You have an advantage!" A little voice argued from John's wrist. John jumped and flicked open his wrist comms to show a small hologram of scrolling code.

"We know that EOS," John sighed, "Scott always won."

Scott looked to Kayo, "It's my fault for going off with a half cooked plan on something I thought I knew enough about. I gave the Hood his advantage." He picked up a stone and threw it, "Two, see? A sloppy throw on my part."

Kayo sighed and shook her head, "So what you're saying is that normally, we'd have the advantage?"

Scott nodded, "With you on side, and Dad back, I'd say the Hood can't really win."

She looked down to the pebble in her hand as Scott moved behind her and took her arm, flicking it just right to get the stone to skim six times, "See? Teamwork gives you an advantage."

Scott glanced back as John uttered something under his breath about getting touchy feely, and he had to smile. He nudged Kayo up the beach with a smile, "And don't worry, I'll set the kids straight."

She turned back towards John, "Okay,"

John stood up, mouthing a thank you to his older brother as he wrapped his arm around Kayo's shoulders.

"Where'd EOS go?" Scott asked at they headed back to the house.

John sighed and shook his head, "Talking to Casey about what we're going to do for the next few days, apparently we're not fit for rescues."

"I think she's right," Kayo chipped in, "You need a few days to adjust now your Dad's back."

"Dad's back." Scott murmured to himself with a shake of his head.

John looked back to his brother, "Still doesn't feel quite real, huh?"

Scott nodded, "But you won't hear me complaining."

"Me neither." John agreed as they reached the house, inside they could see their family chatting and laughing, probably insulting Grandma's cooking from the look she was giving the group.

Scott smiled and looked to John, "Almost like old times."

Late in the night Scott rolled over in his bed, the quiet opening of the door had woken him from his light sleep, the painkillers finally wearing off. He frowned at the shadow creeping into his room, "Alan?"

"I couldn't sleep," He admitted with a yawn, "Can i bunk with you?"

The older brother grabbed his painkillers from the table, downing them with some water as he pushed the duvet back, "Course you can."

He wouldn't admit to his youngest brother that nightmares had been keeping him awake too. So he quietly wrapped his arms around his younger brother, "We're all safe now Allie, you don't have to worry,"

Alan smiled as he yawned, grateful for his brothers comfort. He wasn't sure how he would have got to sleep if he hadn't have been able to find Scott. It was the nightmares that had gotten to him, all it would have taken was another few seconds and...

"If Alan's getting to sleep in here, you'd better shove over," Gordon interrupted his brothers thoughts as Alan felt the bed dip behind Scott.

Alan looked up to his immediate older brother, and best friend, a glance to Scott confirmed that the older brother was fast asleep.

"Hush, or you'll wake him up!" He whispered urgently.

Gordon shrugged and settled down behind Scott, pulling a share of the duvet over him. The youngest two were quick to copy their brother, and it wasn't long before they were both fast asleep.

None of the three heard the other two brothers slide the door open and their whispered conversation that followed.

"Nightmares?" Virgil guessed quietly glancing to his younger brother. John nodded, not wanting to have to mention the bad night Scott had had at the hospital.

"It's been awhile since we all piled into one bed," Virgil pointed out, "It might be a little tight,"

John shrugged, from where he stood there looked like there was enough room for the final two brothers to squeeze onto the bed, "I'm sure we could manage."

Virgil nodded and crept forward into the room, grateful that his oldest brother kept the floor clear. They climbed onto the bed, packing in like sardines in a can before quickly following their brothers to dreamland.

Kayo smiled as she joined Jeff at the breakfast table the next morning, "Are the boys not up yet?"

Jeff shook his head to her, "I was just going to check they were all okay."

Kayo nodded, "I'll put some coffee on."

Jeff smiled as he headed to the bedrooms.

He checked all the bedrooms, neither surprised or worried that each of them were empty. He had seen it happen before after other particularly stressful missions. The brothers would all pile into one bed and sleep together for each other's comfort.

He smiled at the sight that greeted him in Scott's room. All five boys were scattered randomly over the mattress, the youngest half hanging off of the edge. Jeff shook his head and snapped a quick picture of them all, _Let them rest_ , He thought to himself, _They deserve it_.

He stood quietly as Scott stirred, frowning when he found someone's feet digging into his ribs. With a groan he pushed Alan's feet away and rubbed his bruised side. He smiled fondly to his four brothers, of course, if Alan had come to share with him, so would the others. Gordon had pushed him to the very edge of the bed, Alan the only thing keeping him on the mattress rather than the floor. He carefully rolled over, pulling Alan to the safety of the middle of the bed and partially on top of Gordon.

Typically, the second youngest had starfished out, pushing everyone to the edges of the bed. Alan instinctively curled into his immediate older brother's side, head resting on Gordon's stomach.

Scott looked down the bed to find his legs tangled with both John's, the second oldest pressed up against the wall at the foot of the bed. Leaving Virgil's arm sticking out to rest on Gordon's forehead and his feet now pressing into Scott's bruised ribs. Not that the oldest would complain. He always slept well when his brothers stayed with him. It was the only way he could know that they truly were safe and out of trouble.

Jeff chuckled quietly to himself as his eldest son's eyes slipped back closed, glad that some things still stayed the same even when so much had changed.


End file.
